


My Own to Give

by DarkPhoenixGoddess10



Series: Richard and Anne: One-shots [42]
Category: The White Queen (TV)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-22
Updated: 2017-04-22
Packaged: 2018-10-22 10:18:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,217
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10694985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DarkPhoenixGoddess10/pseuds/DarkPhoenixGoddess10
Summary: "No, I'm not yours to give," Lady Anne Neville firmly told Margaret of Anjou, dashing her remaining hopes.From the moment she learned that her husband Edward of Lancaster is dead, Anne knew she will have to marry Richard of Gloucester at some point. However, she would make it clear that if she were to marry him, it would her choice as much as his. As a widow, her body and hand were her own to give.Based on a prompt I received on Tumblr.





	My Own to Give

**Author's Note:**

> Take place in "The White Queen" Episode 5

"Lady Anne," he said her name as she struggled back onto her feet.

"Lady Anne, Princess of Wales," she corrected him. Despite her condition, she still had her pride.

"Dowager Princess."

The words came out of his mouth without emotion. Instantly, Anne knew what he meant - her husband Edward of Lancaster was now dead. 

It brought her no sorrow. She never found Lancaster endearing. What he did to her on their wedding night still haunted her. She was not with child from that intercourse, which saddened her; not because she wanted to give Lancaster an heir, but she knew that it meant she'd have to be bedded by Lancaster again until she falls pregnant. Hearing the news of his death, Anne felt relieved. 

"I have to tell his mother," she said.

"My duty is to escort you back to London," he said. 

"Or you can allow me to join my mother in convent," she said. "Please, Richard."

He turned away from her and said, "I am not Richard. I am his grace the Duke of Gloucester and Constable of England. The King has given me orders to take you back to London."

"And if I were to disobey?"

He gave her a cold glare that made her shiver.

"Wait!" Margaret of Anjou shook off the guards and went to Richard. "My son, what about him?"

"Dead," he replied without sympathy.

"You are a soldier," Margaret of Anjou said. "I like you. If you fight for my cause, I can make you King of England. And you can have her." 

She eyed Anne.

"No," Anne said, looking at her directly in the eye. "I am not yours to give."

That was the last time she spoke to her mother-in-law. 

* * *

Anne knew she doesn't have any other choice but to follow Richard back to London. She had no desire to see Isabel and George, who betrayed her father Earl of Warwick. She didn't want to see the haughty grey-eyed Elizabeth Woodville either. She assumed that the King will pardon her, but what would her future be?

She dismounted her horse and started to walk.

Richard noticed and reigned in his horse. He got off the horse and walked besides her.

"Ladies don't walk," he commented.

"But I am walking," she replied.

"Duchesses don't walk."

"But I'm not a duchess."

"Not yet."

She looked him and then looked away. They continued the journey until they stopped at sanctuary to lodge in. A good meal was prepared and Richard sat with her.

"When I came to Middleham," he began. "I was only eight, and you were only five. Your father trained me and he told me the story of how my late father met my Lady Mother."

Anne stopped eating. 

"You think my father intended for us to wed?" She asked.

"Maybe," he replied. "But it is not his decision to make anymore."

"It is _mine_ now," Anne told him. "I am of age and I am a widow. My hand and my body are my own to give."

Richard was silent for a moment.

"You are your father's daughter."

"I'm not the girl you knew Richard," Anne said. "I also want you to know that besides of marriage, I do have other options."

She finished her meal and went to the bedchamber prepared for her.

* * *

Finally, she was alone.

Only now she realized her desperate and dangerous situation. Her father was dead, and so was her husband. Her sister Isabel was now on the victorious side and very likely she would a ward of George's. She also thought about her mother and their family fortune. Although she had told Richard that she has other options, she knew that hard truth that other than take a veil and become a nun, the only other option was to marry Richard.

Marry...

The painful memory of her wedding night came back to her.

For the first time after that night, she wept.

She wept because her mother Lady Warwick never showed care or sympathy.

She wept because she will have to go through with this again - if she were to marry Richard.

Wiping her tears, she calmed herself down.

 _I am not weak,_ she told herself.  _I will take my fate into my own hands._

* * *

"I have heard that the King has made you the Lord of North," she said to Richard. 

"Where did you hear that?"

She didn't answer his question. "North remains loyal to my father. If you want support from North, you will have to wed me. I am a Neville and the North loves me as they loved my father."

"And by marrying me, you will become a duchess, like your sister."

"Yes, I acknowledge that," she nodded. "You are the King's brother and a royal duke, but my family's fortune will make you a very wealthy one."

"You think I only want to wed you for power and wealth?" Richard asked. "I want to wed you not only because of power and wealth."

"What's your other reason?" She asked. Then she changed the subject. "How's your bastard children?"

"They are fine."

"You are still seeing their mother?"

"No," he replied. 

"Richard, I have made my decision," she told him. "If the King were to approve, I will wed you. Our marriage must be valid and I know that George will do everything to hinder it. However, I will not wed you until we get papal dispensation so our children will be legitimate."

"Ned has approved our marriage," he said. "I asked him permission to wed you as soon as I heard Lancaster is slain."

"Did you kill him?"

"No."

She was about to say something, but stopped.

"I'm sorry for your loss," he muttered.

"No, I'm sorry he's dead," Anne said, removing her wedding ring. "Richard, I have one more request and you must agree if we were to wed. I have agreed to marry you and I will not take back my words. But, before we get papal dispensation, I want you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I want you to show me what I will have to endure on our wedding night," she said to him plainly. "I want to prepare myself on what it is going to be like when you come to my bed as my husband."

His facial expression was hard to read.

He came to her closer and closer.

Anne began to shiver. She took a deep breath when he unlaced her gown.

"Close your eyes and count to yourself," he murmured, pulling up her shift. "Do not open your eyes until you want to."

She closed her eyes and began to count silently to herself as her body exposed to cold air. She could feel him placing her on the bed and then the touches from his hands and lips. She could feel his warm skin against hers. Slowly, her hands began to caress his body too. By the time she opened her eyes, she was lying in his arms, touching skin to skin.

She said nothing but quietly stayed in his arms.

Her hand went to his though.

He removed a ring from his finger and placed it on hers.

Their fingers interlaced.

Her hand and her body were hers to give.

And she made her decision.  

 

 


End file.
